The interim CFO replaces a predecessor who has decided to follow other opportunities.

Openwork, one of the UK’s largest financial advice networks with more than 3,900 financial advisors operating across the UK, has appointed Richard Houghton as interim chief financial officer, subject to regulatory approval. He replaces Kevin Chidwick who decided to pursue other opportunities after two years with the business.

Houghton brings more than 30 years’ experience in senior positions across the insurance and banking industry including CFO, chief operating officer and non-executive director roles. Most recently he was interim group CFO at Hyperion Insurance Group, an international insurance intermediary group with insurance broking and underwriting agency arms.

For nearly a decade (1998 to 2007) Houghton worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland, serving latterly as COO for RBS Insurance. Between 2007 and 2012 he served as group chief finance officer at Aspen Insurance Holdings before joining RSA Insurance Group in 2012 as group chief financial officer. From 2016 to 2017 he served as interim chief finance officer at Co-operative Insurance. 

In July last year there were comings and goings at Openwork. Abbie Gibson joined as head of wealth advice and sales processes from Quilter, where she ran the wealth relationship management team. Alison Bruford, meanwhile, was named as head of channel marketing with responsibility for developing the wealth proposition’s marketing strategy as well as supporting advisors with marketing to service their clients. She joined from BlackRock where she was vice president, product marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa.  Previously, Bruford worked for Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, Invesco Perpetual and Pictet Asset Management. Mike Gummerson, the manager of Openwork’s business transition and practice productivity teams as well as wealth development manager, decided to retire at the end of 2019. He had returned to Openwork in 2010 having previously run his own consultancy business. He started his career at Allied Dunbar before moving to AXA and Prudential.